Accreditation & Training

Accreditation & Training

The core statutory functions emanating from the mandate of ECSA pertain to:
Registration Categories

Engineer (Pr Eng), Engineering Technologist (Pr Tech Eng), Certificated Engineer (Pr Cert Eng), and Engineering Technician (Pr Techni Eng)
Category Registration

The registration of candidates and professionals in the different Council-approved Categories as provided for in Section 18 and 19 of the EPA; and
ECSA Regulation

The regulation of engineering practice of professionally registered persons through adherence to the ECSA Code of Conduct and the Code(s) of Practice as provided for in Section 27(3) of the EPA.

In relation to (a) above, the accreditation of engineering programmes is aimed at recognising substantial equivalence of higher education institution (HEI) programmes to ECSA qualification standards.
These qualification standards and competency frameworks are derived from those established by the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) Member Signatories through various Accords.

The statutory function relating to engineering accreditation and training, inform the requirements for registration. The criteria to be met to register in a professional category with ECSA, are twofold:

  • The applicant must meet the education requirement(s) as defined by ECSA for that relevant category; and
  • The applicant must demonstrate competence against standards determined by ECSA for the category.

The registration of candidates and professionals in the different Council-approved Categories as provided for in Section 18 and 19 of the EPA;

The educational requirements for registration may be met in several ways, including through:

The attainment of a qualification accredited by ECSA for the category of registration is the first step towards becoming registered in the category.

The applicant submits detailed documentation of his or her qualification(s) which are not yet accredited to ECSA for evaluation, to establish whether the qualification(s)meets the educational requirement for registration purposes. If the qualification does not meet all the requirements, this process may be extended to an interview of the applicant by ECSA. Foreign qualifications recognised under various IEA Accords, afford graduates from those qualifications direct access to apply for ECSA registration.
Holding a qualification accredited by a signatory to an international educational agreement.

[adrotate group=”1″]

As part of its statutory mandate, ECSA regulates, through policies, standards and operational processes, all matters related to engineering education and qualifications in the higher education context.
The Accreditation & Training Business Unit, which falls under ECSA’s Statutory Services Division, is responsible for four primary areas of operation.
  • Endorsement

 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) planning to offer a new Engineering Programme can apply to have a formal ECSA endorsement before submission to the Council on Higher Education for its particular programme accreditation (not to be confused with the ECSA accreditation).

  • Accreditation

Formal ECSA recognition awarded to an Engineering Programme offered by a public or private HEI through a rigorous cyclical quality assurance procedure that ensures it meets the criteria laid down for the type of programme.

  • Education Evaluation

A process to determine the equivalence of a non-accredited local, and/or foreign qualification, to the standards of an ECSA accredited qualification as a first step towards an application for registration.

  • Training Academies
The formal Certification of a public or private entity as an ECSA Training Academy and the Accreditation of the Candidacy Training and Mentoring programmes offered by that TA.